Sweet fennel is grown as an ornamental and for the leaves which are used as a flavouring and garnish, the stems which are eaten like celery, and for the seeds which are used to flavour liqueurs, candies, pastries, sausages, and fish dishes, and from which an essential oil used medicinally and for flavouring is produced. Florence fennel takes 80-100 days from germination until the bulb is big enough to harvest, but you can start taking leaves for salads and garnishes much sooner. You don’t have to harvest the bulb when it gets big, either. It will wait patiently in the garden until you need it. Just because it’s considered a garden vegetable or herb, don’t hesitate to use Florence fennel as an ornamental. The bright green, filigreed leaves and tall clusters of golden-ochre flowers make fennel an excellent addition to the mixed border. Grow it in the herb garden or the vegetable garden for its succulent “bulbs” that are excellent raw in salads or cooked lightly and served as a side dish. The lacy leaves are used as a garnish and fresh in salads. The complex and delicate flavour of Florence fennel mixes well with cream sauces, dips and soups. Heat destroys the flavour, so add fennel to cooked dishes at the last minute. Seeds are for sowing purposes only. Don’t Eat!